Restaurant News: In St. Paul, Cossetta's remodel progresses

Artist rendering of expansion of Cossetta Italian Market and Pizzeria in St. Paul

Dave Cossetta's five-year plan will soon be materializing. Not one to rush things, the fourth-generation owner of the hugely popular Cossetta Italian Market and Pizzeria has slowly been putting all the pieces together to remodel and expand the business at West Seventh and Chestnut streets near downtown St. Paul.

In 2007, he bought the land behind his parking lot. Three years later, he brought in a master bakery from Italy to teach his staff how to make authentic Italian-style bread. In August 2011, he finally broke ground on his $11 million project, which includes doubling the size of the first-floor deli, tripling the size of the market and adding a pastry shop, meat department, gelateria, wine cellar and rooftop restaurant.

The openings also will be done in phases, says Cossetta, who was reached this week in Italy, where he's finalizing details for the pastry shop.

Phase 1 will start at the end of July and include the debut of the deli and its expanded menu, running the gamut from pizza to potato croquettes to panzarotti (deep-fried calzone). Phase 2 will gear up in August and include the unnamed rooftop restaurant and first-floor market and takeaway. Phase 3 will kick off in September with the unveiling of the first-floor, 50-seat pastry shop, which is being designed and built in Italy. Elements include a lot of marble, crystal chandeliers and natural stone tile.

"It's going to be beautiful," says Cossetta. "Even in Chicago, they don't have anything like this.